Pilates for Lower Back Pain

If you have lower back pain, Pilates may be an ideal form of exercise. Pilates is a very safe, low-to-no impact exercise system. It targets the core muscles of the body, including the deep muscles of the abdomen, lower back, and buttocks. By strengthening the muscles which surround and support your spine, you’ll lessen back pain, reduce neck and shoulder stiffness, improve your posture, increase your energy, and boost your spine health.

We were actually amazed when we typed “causes of lower back pain” into the Google search box. Over 3,770,000 search results exist!!!! By just glancing at the articles that pop up on the first page yields an enormous amount of facts and figures. For example, did you know that Americans spend over $50 billion a year in their efforts to alleviate low back pain? (Click here to read further)…. or that most lower back pain is “triggered by some combination of overuse, muscle strain, and injury to the muscles, ligaments, and discs that support the spine. Many experts believe that over time muscle strain can lead to an overall imbalance in the spinal structure. This leads to a constant tension on the muscles, ligaments, bones, and discs, making the back more prone to injury or reinjury.” (Click here to read further)

Choosing the right Pilates studio is important for any client, but it’s crucial for clients with back injuries or lower back pain. You absolutely must choose only those instructors and Pilates trainers who are trained to work with injuries, special populations, and low back pain. First and foremost, find a teacher with a Pilates certification from a robust program. A piece of paper saying that a trainer is “certified” is nearly worthless unless you know where the trainer studied. At Pilates on Fifth, we hire only the most knowledgeable, experienced Pilates teachers. In fact, we’re what you might call Pilates perfectionists. Since we have devoted our lives to studying the biomechanics, history, and techniques of Pilates, along with anatomy and kinesiology, we only want to hire instructors who have achieved this same level of skill. We don’t hire mere Pilates enthusiasts; we hire Pilates experts. With the advent of the ActivCore (www.activcore.com) system in January 2009, Pilates on Fifth offers a revolutionary means of strengthening not only the core, but also the muscles surrounding the spine hips and pelvis to increase functional coordination and further alleviate lower back pain.